The Doctor
by v-echolls
Summary: Dr. Zoe Hart has been in the hospital for 27 hours-long yet life-changing hours. A tad bit AU/One-shot


Zoe Hart was a doctor. A good doctor in fact. She was going to finally become what she has always wanted-A Cardiac Surgeon and all she needed was to get that fellowship. It was her life's goal, a dream of hers and her father, her mission to finally be able to please the one man she wanted to all along. She was so close, she could feel it. Plus, the emanating smells of the hospital's stinky food. No matter. She sensed victory come her way.

Yet, Dr. Lemon Breeland was the only person—or thing—getting in the way of her and the fellowship. The only person she could truly consider her enemy. They have both graduated from John Hopkins University or JHU having honours and not to mention being offered the same job in the same hospital. _Damn, New York and their lack of doctors _she had once said. She was going to make do with what she has though.

Considering that she has lived in a small town all her life. Bluebell, Alabama, the one place in the world she considered home. Once her JHU acceptance came in, she bade good bye to the town folks and left, never looking back. It was hard to say good bye to the people you grew up with, the people who took care of you when both your parents died in a car accident while they were in California for a vacation. The only reason why she did not go with them was because she had exams that week but had she gone, she would never have had to experience the pain of losing one's parents.

She drank her coffee alone in the Hospital's cafeteria at four in the morning once again. She has not gone out of this place for at least 26 hours already. She loved her job. It was her everything. She had no more family, no lovely neighbours, no lover and admittedly, a little bit of no life. It was the one thing that kept her sane. The one thing in this world that she could not give up—well, save for that nasty scoundrel of a boy who showed up on her doorstep the other night.

She was watching her favourite show in the entire world, House M.D. when her doorbell rang. Once it opened to reveal a blonde hair young man with a smirk that could light up her world she didn't know what to feel. She gasped at his sigh, dishevelled hair and all.

_Aren't you going to let me in, doc? _He said in his over-confident tone of voice that once made her insane. She stepped back, motioning for him to enter. After a long while of "talking" about the past, there were already pillows being thrown, screams leaving the neighbours wondering and the mighty slam of the door that brought the whole floor awake so late at night.

All these years she has tried so hard to forget their moments. The greatest love of her life that she left to pursue her dreams.

Wade Kinsella wanted nothing more than to eat, sleep, drink and have sex for the rest of his life. Zoe Hart did not want that. It was such a good idea back then but JHU was an opportunity not to be missed and she did not want to have any regrets anymore. So, she left him and took off. Now, nearly 10 years later, she finds him on her doorstep. She could not go back to that house. She needed to treat people, to do what she loves to do. She came to New York to forget Wade Kinsella and she's done a damn good job so far. Why bother giving up now?

Looking up to the red big clock ahead of her, she realized it's already five in the morning. An hour was spent on thinking too much of the past. Sighing, she stood up, threw her now-empty coffee cup to the nearest trash bin and headed out of the door.

The director, her boss, George Tucker, a handsome but married man smiled at her. He just arrived at the hospital but did not seem pleased to see her.

"Dr. Hart, you know I'm a very concerned man when it comes to my staff." He started "So, why the hell are you still around? I know you've been here for 24 hours now."

"27 Sir—I mean, it's been 27 hours sir." She corrected him, feeling quite drowsy already even when she has just finished drinking coffee.

"Listen lass," George Tucker was from the South as well but unlike her, he carried his accent like a proud Southern. "You need to get some shut eye before your sleep deprived state starts costing me patients. As the director of this fine hospital, I order you to get some shut eye."

Then he immediately chuckled "Did I sound very authority-like to you now?"

Nodding slowly, Zoe added "Yes. You're doing a very good job at it."

Chuckling a little bit more before smiling to her "Listen Zoe, I know you want that fellowship so badly. That is why I've decided to give it to you and not Dr. Breeland. Although, I do suggest you get some sleep before I change my mind. Understood?"

A grin crept into Zoe's face and she nodded. Finally. It was hers. The fellowship was hers and she could finally be the person whom her father wants her to be. She could truly get some sleep—which she needs—and not even Wade _fucking _Kinsella will ruin her mood today. She mocked a salute towards the director before making a clear exit from the hospital forgetting her belongings. She did not care anyway.

Once outside in the parking lot, she immediately stopped on her tracks. Wade was standing there in front of her with a look of defeat and apology. She stood frozen, not knowing what to do but wished she could run back to inside. He made his way towards her, once in close proximity, he smiled.

"Listen Zoe, years and age have gotten me thinking. You were right to have left. I did not want to be anyone or anything. You had dreams and I did not even bother rejoicing with you when you got that acceptance letter of yours. Hey, this is me apologizing here, okay? Just—I don't know, eat breakfast with me? I want it to be like before, when we would just lie below that old oak tree and swap stories about our childhood. Maybe not exactly—maybe, just maybe, it'd be good to try again, you know?" He said in a hurry but she understood him anyway. She was used to it. After all, Wade got nervous a lot. She heard him sigh and if she did not pay enough attention, she wouldn't have heard his whisper "Baby steps, again"

Feeling defeated and rather irrational-considering the fact that she lacked 27 hours worth of sleep-Zoe hooked her arm with his and gave him a slight hug with the other. She felt rather light after those rough hours in the hospital. She missed their relationship but was not ready to go back just yet.

He smiled at her, eyes gleaming as she suggested they eat breakfast at her favorite diner which is rarely found in a city like New York before heading back to her apartment because she was starting to feel sleep creeping into her. He did not complain though but rather, he smiled gleefully and told her to lead the way.

Zoe missed this little interaction but she's definite she would not have done the past differently. Even when she missed Wade so much back then, her will to do this for her father was so much stronger. This time though, she's hoping he'll truly accept it and her life here. They'll be friends again for a short while, she knows they can never be anything less than lovers but today was the start of her new life as-finally-a Cardiac Surgeon and with Wade Kinsella by her side, she couldn't help but think it would be a very good start. Now, she's just getting ahead of herself.

_It all starts with baby steps._

__**AN:** _I sorta felt bad after my last Zoe/Wade fanfic so I'm hoping this would be good enough and would do them justice! haha :)_


End file.
